Waypoint
by blob80
Summary: LawBin. A collection of ten shorts. Law's POV, unless otherwise stated. Contains both AU and canon-compliant chapters that take place post-timeskip. Ratings vary.
1. Waypoint

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

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**_Setting_**_: Strawhats are sailing with the Hearts to an unspecified destination. Law and Robin have been getting closer, but have yet to define their relationship._

**_Please Note_**_: There's an extreme amount of narration in this. I'm brushing up on my descriptive skills._

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The snowstorm caught them both by surprise.

Law had decided to accompany Robin through the forest, where no less than three poneglyphs were hidden away by some old pirate crew—or so the villagers in this backwater island that their ships landed upon claimed—that he scarcely remembered the name of. They weren't supposed to make any stops, but nothing ever went according to plan when Strawhat Luffy was involved. Although the Strawhats were perfectly content to let Robin wander on her own, Law wasn't so lenient. Never mind that she wasn't a part of his crew… he just wasn't comfortable with letting her explore a strange place by herself, especially not after the last few weeks they'd spent together. Then again, who would be? They had yet to label their relationship, and he'd be damned if something happened to her before they could. So, using the fact that he was actually interested in the poneglyphs as an excuse, he tagged along.

Some of the men in his crew gave him knowing glances, while the first mate of the Strawhats threw him the most heated warning look he'd ever seen from a man. A feat, considering how long he'd known Doflamingo. But Law wasn't so easily intimidated. He shot the swordsman a smirk, before trailing after an eager Robin, who seemed to care less for his presence than she did the rocks they passed.

The forest was beautiful, although he'd wandered in enough of them to tell at a glance that there was nothing particularly remarkable about this one. There were no strangely shaped trees or glowing plants. Even the animals they came across looked tame. Robin, for the most part, was silent as she used her powers here and there to figure out where to go. He followed after her almost obediently; _almost_ because he refused to consider himself as such. Sometimes, he'd feel her eyes trail across his form. Her gaze never lingered, so he knew that she was only making sure that he was still there.

Law's gaze, on the other hand, remained on her. Only some celibate monk could blame him for not taking this chance to stare at the way her hips swayed beneath her purple, tight-fitting coat. How her long legs stepped over raised tree roots; how her breasts bounced with each subtle movement because her bra clearly wasn't doing its job properly. He savored simple moments when she'd point towards uphill paths, and he'd help lift her before jumping up himself. Law could've used his powers, but he hid behind the excuse that he didn't want to waste his energy. He could only make so many rooms. There was no need to waste one on something as banal as this.

They spoke here and there, although nothing that required more than half of his attention. Perhaps that was why he was able to so clearly spot the slight hollow in the distance. Because although the sky had been clear when they set out, snow fell bit-by-bit, and before they knew it, steel-gray clouds had dominated the space above their heads, and they were suddenly in the middle of one of the worst blizzards Law had ever found himself in.

As soon as they reached the hollow, they realized that it was actually a tunnel. A very short one with one mouth opened to a cliff with nothing but the ocean at the bottom, and the other, to the icy slope of the forest. It was a peculiar place. A bridge between realities; a buffer that kept two edges of the world from colliding. Law wouldn't have been surprised if someone told him that some form of magic ran deep underground here, working as an anchor to keep this path untouched.

Icicles gleamed along the outer edges closest to where the weather took a sudden turn for the frosty. The landscape beyond disappeared underneath the snow. All he saw was a scattered mess of trees and large bushes that were hardy enough to stand the weather. Law knew from experience that even those would disappear in a few more minutes, but for now, there they stood under a miserable dusting of snow as white as dye.

Law was no stranger to snowstorms; he was from the North Blue after all. But he didn't have to be from there to know that blizzards were dangerous. Common sense dictated that, which was why so many people did their best to avoid them. But to be trapped in a small tunnel at the heart of it and to witness it from the safety of a fortified building beside a hearth were two different experiences entirely.

The blizzard was unforgiving in its intensity. Law turned whenever the walls of the cavern rumbled. He watched an old pine tree, fifteen feet tall and twice his width, twist like twine under the might of the wind. It didn't break at the core, no, it bent like a pliant pole made of rubber. All of its leaves shifted sideways, twisted over themselves, and then, all at once, the winds had uprooted it. A lattice of wood, soil, and root tore loose and splattered dirt high into the sky. Robin stepped back in uncertainty at the sight. She didn't seem to care that she'd accidentally bumped into him or that he could plainly see the worry in her eyes. Law wasn't kind enough to reassure her with words, but he did place a hand on her shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

"We'll have to stay here until it passes, Nico-ya," he told her.

She sighed. It was small and hardly hearable under the howling wind, but he saw her breath as it escaped her lips. Somehow, that small physical appearance of her disappointment made it seem heavier.

"I was looking forward to seeing the ruins," Robin said, although she didn't attempt to refute his statement. Neither did she ask him to use his powers, perhaps already knowing that it would be useless. He liked that about her. Robin always thought before she spoke. It was a quality that he appreciated in any person, but especially in her.

"This blizzard is unnaturally strong… as expected of the New World."

"I thought you were used to trudging through snow. Why don't you return to the ship?"

… And that was something he liked a lot less. She was good at word games, and he didn't doubt that she knew what she was doing to him by suggesting that.

"You don't have to wait this out with me," she went on.

_Do I look like such a failure of a man that I'd leave you here? _he thought, but what came out instead was a resounding, "No."

"Are you sure? Luffy will find me soon enough," she said. Her voice was so fond and so certain that he couldn't help the twinge of envy that pierced his chest.

"I said I was interested in the glyphs. I don't plan to leave you until I see you translate them."

"If you hope to figure out how to read them, then watching me won't give you any clues. I copy the ancient language. I don't write their translations."

He figured. Writing that down would be too risky.

Nevertheless, Law ignored her remark. Even if they did have something going on between them, she had every right to be suspicious.

"The blizzard doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon," he said as way of an answer. "So, I suggest you get comfortable."

Despite the seriousness of their conversation, she shot him a smile that made his heart skip forward—_hard. _There was something mischievous about that look. He returned it with his signature smirk that she didn't at all shy away from.

Law made no move to touch her, and she didn't ask to be touched. Neither of them bridged the scant gap between them. They spoke instead. Law found that each word that left her lips was accompanied by a warm glance and a honeyed grin that made his chest heat in a strange mix of affection and the anticipation of it.

Right now, he felt like a smitten fool. He _hated _it. But he wasn't masochistic enough to deny himself the feeling.

So, time passed like that.

Every so often, Law heard the distant, pitiable whine of an unknown predator lost to the cold. With his Kenbunshoku Haki, he knew that there were none particularly close to them. In fact, there were no souls but their own. It was odd—this solitary wild, where the evening chill continuously chased the hour. Only when Law saw Robin shivering under her jacket did he notice the bundles of gathered leaves and branches neatly stacked near the edge of the tunnel; either a remnant from the tunnel's previous occupants or an emergency supply for villagers caught unaware like they had been. The stack was hidden under a pile of rocks likely used to keep them from blowing right off the cliff's brink.

By the time he had a fire going, night had arrived in earnest. True dark fell over them like a cloak to freeze their bones clean through. The wind had gotten stronger, bringing the cold touches of snow further inside. A particularly powerful gust managed to cover them in enough that it soaked their clothes. Robin made a net of hands with her powers not long after. Wind still managed to whistle between the gaps, but it helped.

They took off their wet shirts and laid them out on the floor. Law used the heaviest rocks he could find to keep their clothes from getting blown away. It wasn't the best way to dry them, but there were no lines for them to use as hangers here.

As the hours wore on, Law watched the leaves hiss in their tiny hearth. It was a riot of gold and scarlet that swirled up and around, spreading echoes of warmth that weren't enough for his chattering teeth. They made eerie shadows dance along the walls. Law tore his gaze away from them in fear of seeing something he didn't want to.

He settled for examining Robin instead. She sat beside him with her semi-dry sari skirt cocooned around her shoulders. Her coat had gotten too sodden for her liking, so she had laid it out with her shirt.

Robin frowned at a damp journal as she set it open before the waning fire. It was a worn little thing, but he could easily tell that she treasured it. Law had never considered a journal precious before, so he wasn't exactly sure what to say.

_Do I even need to say anything? _he thought.

Law tugged at the cloth wrapped around her instead.

Robin turned when he thoughtlessly fisted his hand into it, and that was when he noticed just how slight it was. It was too thin for the weather; thin enough that he was sure that he could tear right through it if he tried.

She couldn't be warm. There was no way.

Law took her hands in his.

Just as he thought, they were cold. Freezing, even. He probably should've paid more attention to stoking the fire, but there was something oddly comforting about the feeling of his entire body turning numb from the cold. He felt blissful. Torpid. Like a blanket of peace obscured him from the horrors of the rest of the world.

Law didn't rub her hands, not wanting them to swell. Instead, he brought them to his lips and breathed, hot and heavy, over her curled fingers. She didn't move away. Robin only looked up at him through lowered lashes, then sighed in content.

It had been like this for the past few weeks between them. He was loath to admit that it was mostly his fault. Law had always been a firm believer in actions speaking louder than words, and his mind wasn't something so easily changed. Not even someone that dominated it as much as she did could penetrate his stubbornness.

Suddenly, Robin's words from two weeks ago echoed in his mind then.

_Actions exist to prove words, not sit in place of them._

She was an experienced woman—in life, in love, in everything—and she knew just how to deal with him. That is, by speaking in such a way that it sounded like advice, rather than criticism. Or perhaps she only said it that way because she didn't want to plead with him to say something that he might not be ready to say. Either way, she had handled the situation splendidly.

Law's eyes met hers. They were bright, but made more so by the shadows that flickered sharply across her face because of the fire. He tried to say something to her then. Really, he did. But the words got trapped in his throat when her lips tilted upward in gratitude.

_What's wrong with me? _he thought. Law was no greenhorn when it came to dealing with the fairer sex, but one appreciative smile from her made every thought he had disappear like a flock of startled birds. _What am I doing? Our crews won't travel together forever. If this continues, I—_

Just then, a narrow wind picked up, whispering winter. It slipped through the tunnel to make it moan like a drowsy beast. Law turned his head so that its chilled edges wouldn't catch the tips of his ears, only to shudder when the wind slid into the empty spaces between them to grope at their bodies. They'd both be covered in frost if he allowed this to continue.

So, he didn't.

It was as simple as that.

Law didn't exactly know how to be gentle. He wasn't sure he wanted to be. But when he drew her closer; when Robin buried her cold nose into his neck and wrapped her arms around his waist; when she closed her eyes, leaning into him, chest to chest, until there was hardly any space left for breath between them—

He tried to be.

"You're warm," was all she said.

"Warmer than you."

Just as he said it, another wind picked up. He shuddered as the ice-touched air pinched his nose and cheeks. It blew particularly cool at his back, just above his shoulders, where there was nothing to guard him. His coat, which he'd wrapped around himself was still wet, and the cool air reminded him just how bad the feeling of damp cotton was.

Robin slid one hand from his waist to wrap around the back of his neck. Her palm spread cozy heat that untangled the knots there, before she slid it down even further. She stopped between his shoulder blades. Her plush lips were pressed tantalizingly against his neck. It made heat pool in the pit of his stomach. He tightened his hold around her even more.

"Not warm enough," she added after a moment.

He felt, rather than saw her smile. Law laughed. It was low, but strong enough to stir her hair.

This was it. This was what he'd been longing to do for so long.

_I want to hold her just like this—_then, like lightning—_but I doubt our crews will be allied for much longer. I'm going to be the Pirate King. Can I really be with a woman that doesn't believe in my dream? Can I be with a woman that would sooner stab me in the back, than see that title given to anyone but her Captain?_

He knew the answer to that already.

_What the hell am I doing?_

But something else dawned upon him then. In that precise moment, they weren't from opposing crews. They weren't rival pirates that could very well become enemies the next day. They were simply a man and a woman seeking respite from nature's mercurial fury.

Right now, Robin was warm and soft and _his._

He reveled in the realization.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

Law only closed his eyes in response; a tacit indication that she wasn't going to get an answer out of him. A hum of amusement left her lips at that. Her voice was a delicate peal of silver that made his ears tingle.

"It makes me more curious when you don't answer."

"Go to sleep," he murmured, while tapping an absent tune on her skin. "You still want to find those ruins, don't you? They'll be buried under a mountain of snow tomorrow."

She had a few more comments to make, but eventually obliged. It wasn't long before she slipped into a light doze.

Because there were no threats in sight and because the sound of the stormy sea beyond was so utterly soothing to his tired mind, he permitted himself to follow. Law's pulse slowed, safe and silent inside of a wild tunnel that had, against all odds, managed to grow warm.

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_A/N: Regarding Robin's Devil Fruit hands in this chapter... __I wasn't 100% sure if she could feel what they felt, so I decided to go with nope when I thought up the chapter. But while I was writing, I remembered that there were times when she was in pain when her appendages got hit. By then, it was too much of a pain for me to change. Sorry for any confusion, and please don't hesitate to point out things that are weird! They help me a lot! :D _

_Please review._


	2. Dawning

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

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_**Setting: **__Occurs while on their way to Wano._

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Law wanted her.

It wasn't lust that fueled his desire… not really. Truthfully, he'd thought her stunning ever since he first glimpsed her wanted poster back when he was still some teenage fledgling gathering his crew to sail in the first half of the Grand Line. And if he had to admit about ever fantasizing about a drop-dead gorgeous female pirate while in bed, he'd probably rank her somewhere at the top of the list. If they had crossed paths earlier in life, then he didn't doubt that he would've made some kind of move. If not to get her into his private quarters, than to get her into his crew.

Devil's Child Nico Robin was known all around the world long before he ever made a name for himself as the Surgeon of Death. It was only now that he was Captain of his own crew—with a markedly higher bounty than her own—that he stood on higher ground than her. He would've loved to induct her the moment he saw her in that cave gently advising Strawhat Luffy; to place her among the men and women that sailed by his side for even a slightly better chance at the title of Pirate King… but his timing was off.

Rarely, had Law ever come across something that he couldn't take by force. One look at the crew that she was a part of, however, had him hesitating. They were noisy and downright uncontrollable when it came to any sort of plan, but they were powerful. The whole world new that. Making her his wouldn't be worth the trouble because as much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't one hundred percent confident that he'd emerge the winner should he decide to challenge the Strawhats to a fight. Law wasn't ignorant enough to believe that they'd trade her like some kind of tarnished gold piece either. Not after they declared war on the entirety of the navy at Enies Lobby just to get her back.

_An alliance is the closest I'll be able to get to having her on my side, _he supposed. Dissolving his crew and joining the Strawhats wasn't an option. It would never be. Friendship didn't enter the equation either. He couldn't be friends with rival pirates, no matter how much Luffy insisted.

But it was _ridiculous _how invasive his thoughts about her were. Ever since she had stayed beside him on Dressrosa, shielding him from stray attacks by Doflamingo and his men, he couldn't get her out of his head. Luffy didn't even need to order her to help him. Robin stayed there like a sentinel out of instinct. Out of nothing more than the realization that her Captain would be sad if anymore were to happen to him. Law respected that kind of loyalty. It was unshakable. A bond forged by blood, steel, and fierce love. And he _knew _that her crew cherished it in return. That they cherished her. It would be so much easier if they didn't.

Law sighed, suddenly exhausted by it all.

He looked up at the night sky littered with enough stars to guide their ship forward. They were currently on their way to Wano. Everyone else was asleep. Even Zoro, who was up in the crow's nest serving as lookout. Luckily, the swordsman had Kenbunshoku Haki, so Law wasn't that worried. But still…

_They're too carefree._

Just as he thought it, he felt a presence walking up the stairs onto the deck. The footsteps were slow, but deliberate. He recognized the presence, but not enough, so it definitely wasn't someone from his crew. Law heard the brief, unmistakable clink of a blade about to be drawn from its sheathe come from high above him. Zoro had clearly felt the presence as well, but when snores erupted once again, Law knew that he acknowledged that the person wasn't a threat.

It wasn't long before the owner emerged. With the way his luck had been going recently, he wasn't at all surprised by who he saw.

"Oh, what have we here?" Robin smiled. He didn't know how she could look so untroubled by his presence. Allies they may be, but Law was still a fearsome pirate captain in his own right. One that had given the Marines a hundred beating hearts in order to further his goal. "What are you still doing awake?"

_I could ask you the same thing, _he answered snippily in his mind, but opted instead for looking up at the too bright stars again. She was already in his head. He really didn't need her here right now. Robin was nothing more than a reminder of the boundary between him and the rest of the Strawhats.

"If you're awake because you're worried that Zoro isn't being a proper lookout, then rest easy," Robin told him. "Simply having Zoro here makes this ship the safest place anyone could ever hope to be."

There was no doubt in her eyes. It must've been her experience talking then. He wondered how many times Zoro had dived, swords drawn, to her aid in order for her to be so certain that no one else could do a better job. Law already knew that she often regarded Zoro as the leader when Luffy wasn't around. It was only right, considering he was the first mate. But he saw it for himself on Zou when she went along with his plans, despite any misgivings she might've had about them.

"He's your mate," Law finally answered, "not mine."

"He'll protect your crew just the same."

Law highly doubted that, but he didn't bother telling her so. Instead, he asked, "What are you doing here, Nico-ya?"

She placed a finger over her plush lips, before pointing at the stars above them. "To enjoy the stillness. This is the only time I can."

Robin drew forward until she was standing beside him. She leaned against the railing of the ship with her chin in one hand and her other arm outstretched to feel the night's chilled breeze. It seemed to blow gentler now that she was there. He didn't think the wind ever gave way to anyone, but it seemed to do so in her presence.

It was then that he noticed the small, peach blanket wrapped around her shoulders. It looked worn, but clean and well cared for. The jolly roger of the Strawhats was stitched in random places around the fabric. It was a bad enough sewing job for him to guess that Luffy did it. The hyperactive pirate captain was a handful for anyone that met him, perhaps doubly so for his own crew. But Law thought that small things like Robin's blanket served as tangible evidence of how much they really treasured him. Because Law would sooner relive the entire ordeal on Dressrosa than count that threadbare _thing_ among his possessions.

If her mates had given her a blanket to wrap around herself, then Robin clearly did this often on the Thousand Sunny. That made him feel a little better. It meant that she didn't come up here to intrude upon his solitude on purpose.

Law sighed, but eventually settled on the railing beside her. His nodachi stood between them, and he didn't bother moving it. There was no need to. They wouldn't be getting any closer to each other. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not any day after if he had anything to say about it.

Together, they looked up at the night sky. The stars reflected against the black water, staining it with white dots that bent with the waves. They had their very own light show shining above and below them. Some might've considered it romantic. Law wasn't sappy enough to think of it as anything other than two weary pirates sharing a rare moment of freedom and peace, before their next adventure.

Standing beside her now, Law couldn't help but think of how hard life could be, especially if time and luck weren't on his side. It would've been amazing to have someone like her on his crew. For the sole reason that he'd never before met anyone so similar to him in terms of personality, way of thinking, and even background. They were both the sole survivors of their home islands, and it looked as though they both somehow managed to grow up in comparable distrusting environments. They operated on logic, not emotion. Robin paralleled him in every way that it counted. It astounded him how _easy _it was to get along with her.

Robin was a shelter that understood what he was going through, simply because she had lived through something similar. Law knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if he really wanted to open up to someone, then she'd sit and listen to him. She'd be the dock that he could moor himself to should he ever lose an ounce of the heavy anchor that was his stubbornness. An unlikely outcome, but one that would hold true should it ever happen. Robin knew exactly when to draw near and when to back away in turn. This was one of those moments that required a strange mix of both.

They stood there in silence. Nothing needed to be said at this point, and Law still wasn't comfortable enough to speak candidly with her—or anyone for that matter.

Law glanced at Robin, only to catch her flashing him that heart-stopping smile. That expression of hers had captured the attention of every man in his crew the moment they laid eyes on it. She was already so beautiful. Having something like that in her arsenal was just overkill. Law pitied any man that had to face her both on the battlefield and off of it.

But he wasn't standing off against her, nor did he plan to anytime in the foreseeable future. Right now, Law had every right—as a man and as a pirate—to revel in the smile that she directed at him.

_This isn't so bad, _he supposed, while quietly wishing to the ocean's spirit that he wouldn't treasure moments like this enough to miss them once they finally sailed their separate ways. _Besides, this is only for tonight._

Oh, how wrong he was.

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_A/N: Please review._


	3. Harrowing

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

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_**Setting:**__ Mafia AU. OC's POV._

_**Warning:**__ Graphic depictions of violence and manic Law._

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_It's shaping up to be a good day._

Reed walked home in the middle of the night after an easy day of work spent guarding his boss, Buggy. He hadn't done much, only stopped some scrawny debtor from getting too close and shut the door on a sniveling man's face. All in all, it was pretty peaceful for someone in his line of work. He passed by the same flower shop, where the pretty orange-haired lady that lived two blocks down always bought seeds from. He saw the same rowdy biker gangs crowding a street filled end to end with pubs. And, like always, he even heard the sound of a scuffle, before rounding the small alleyway that led straight to his apartment.

It was there that he saw something different.

A man whose face he couldn't quite place stood on the other end. He leaned on the wall right beside the entrance, while casually smoking a cigarette. His red hair was partially hidden by a hat that hung so low on his head, it covered his eyes. Reed didn't recognize him, but he recognized the black, smiling symbol on the gloves that he wore. That was a mark of the Heart family.

Reed stilled. What did they want with him? He had never done anything_—_bad or good_—_to any of them, and as far as he knew, his boss wasn't on bad terms with them either. Was he just coincidentally smoking there then? No, his luck wasn't that great. This man definitely wanted something.

_I have a bad feeling about this. _Reed lowered the flat cap he wore in a sorry attempt to cover his face. _Better safe than sorry. __I'll take the long way. _

But when he turned around, there was another man there. He wore a boiler suit. The top half was left open to reveal a nondescript shirt. What was most interesting about his appearance, however, was his hat, which had the word _'PENGUIN'_ stitched boldly across the front.

"This the guy?" Penguin Hat asked.

The redhead carelessly flicked away his cigarette. "That's him."

"What did the boss say?"

"Be gentle."

"... Tall order."

"You know how he is."

"What did this maroon do to get the boss after him anyway?"

"Who knows? It's better not to ask."

"Then I will," Reed interrupted. He raised his voice to mask his panic. "What the hell do you guys want from me?"

"Us?" the redhead asked. "Nothing. Haven't you been listening?"

"It's the boss that wants you." Penguin cracked his knuckles, before raising his fists in a typical boxing stance.

There would be no reasoning with these two, Reed realized. He drew a knife from his coat pocket. Clean and sharp. The flickering streetlight nearby made the steel edge shine threateningly in the gloom. But, Penguin Hat, despite being unarmed, looked more haunting than any other opponent Reed had ever faced. There was a stony set to his eyes that made even the neutral expression he wore seem terrifying.

An ocean of silence sprouted between them, as they regarded each other. They both stood there, tense and waiting for the other to move, until eventually, Penguin Hat's lips tilted upward into an awful smile, eliciting a feeling of raw terror deep in Reed's stomach. A rush of adrenaline flooded his veins as Penguin Hat charged. Every muscle in his body told him to kill this man before he could do the same.

Reed thrust his blade forward, but his opponent was lithe and quicker than he expected. Penguin Hat crouched to avoid the blow, while using his feet to propel himself forward. But Reed was quick, too. He followed up with a downward strike of his knife in an attempt to slash the his opponent across the face. But what he wasn't ready for was the dagger that Penguin Hat unsheathed from his boot to effectively parry his blow. There was a shriek as steel met steel. It rang all throughout the alley, deafening anyone unfortunate enough to hear it.

Penguin Hat was stronger than he looked because Reed's grip was quickly overwhelmed. His knife made a grand spin in the air, before bouncing away to an unknown point behind him. Reed didn't turn around to see where it had fallen, not wanting to take his eyes off of his opponent, but he was struck in a moment of utter disbelief by how easily he was overpowered by a man that was so much more slender than he was. Penguin Hat took advantage of his surprise by closing the little space that was left between them. His free hand darted upward towards Reed's neck.

Time seemed to slow as Penguin Hat's hand neared. For an instant, it stilled completely when his strong fingers squeezed his windpipe. Reed kicked him, only to realize how much lean muscle Penguin Hat hid behind his baggy clothes. He choked on air. The ground continuously shifted beneath his feet with each passing second.

Reed lurched forward to try and throw his opponent off balance with his weight, but Penguin Hat compensated by easily lifting him off the ground. His vision distorted around the edges. Black tendrils seemed to encircle him. Reed screwed his eyes shut, then opened them again. For a moment, the world solidified, sharpening into something brighter than what should've been possible considering the time… but then the moment passed.

_I… I can't breathe, _he thought, before shadows guttered from every corner, creating a distant, edgeless expanse that swallowed everything within the ambit of his vision. His consciousness darkened, breath-by-breath, until the nothingness consumed him like a silent, starless sky.

Just before Reed passed out completely, he heard the redhead speak.

"He said be gentle, damnit."

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Sleep came in broken bursts after that, interspersed with violent nightmares and waking moments as foggy and blurred as his rippled reflection. When he awoke—_truly awoke—_he flinched back from the glare of white light above his head. It took a while for Reed's eyes to adjust, but when they did, he found himself inside of a sterile operating suite.

_Where am I? _he thought, trying and failing to remember how he ended up in this place.

Clear jars and stainless steel equipment dominated every shelf and countertop around him. There was a desk in the far corner that was overburdened with well-read books. Each was thicker than his head. Off to the side, was a sink with—what he hoped was—a resin statue of a half-skull that doubled as a soap dispenser. The owner of this place had unique taste.

Closer to him, on a metal cart, was a particularly interesting bowl of black, viscous liquid that he couldn't quite make out. The concoction bubbled, clearly still boiling, despite the cold temperature of the room. Reed turned his head away, wanting to put its existence as far away from his thoughts as possible. He twisted this way and that, only to realize that his wrists and ankles were bound to the metal table he was sprawled upon.

"What the—"

"Welcome to my room," a man said in his ear. It was sudden enough to startle a shout from his lips.

Reed moved back out of instinct, unintentionally slamming his head into the table in a move so harsh that he swore the base of his skill cracked from the impact. Reed smelt the rusty scent of iron. Felt it around his shoulders, too. The man above him smirked in some twisted mixture of hostility and mirth. He had black hair and dead eyes. As far as looks went, the man had a decidedly handsome face. A demented laugh didn't bubble from his throat, neither did he pin him with some wicked glare. Instead, he looked almost… contemplative.

The man's sanity scared him more than he'd ever admit.

"I haven't even done anything, and you're already trying to get away," he remarked, while putting on a pair of gloves. "I can't have you hurting yourself any more than you already have though. That's my job."

Reed had been broken down and stitched back together again enough times to know how certain hitmen within the mafia operated. Oftentimes, they doubled as torturers that liked to use cement to harden their enemies. Others preferred kicking the back of their victims' heads against sidewalks to permanently break their teeth. There were a fair few, however, that preferred slower, more violent methods... and Reed was _certain_ that this man was one of them. He hadn't pissed off any mafia bosses in a long while though, so why in the world was this asshole after him? Or maybe he was wrong, and it wasn't someone affiliated with the underworld. Was he just a sorry victim then?

_Like hell I am._

But suddenly, he remembered how he'd gotten there, or rather, what he was doing before he woke up in his hellhole. And after another look at the man's emotionless face, he knew exactly who he was in the presence of. Reed's eyes widened in a brief instant of understanding, before fear consumed him completely.

Reed's skull pounded, even as he desperately tried to focus on the man before him. "What do you want from me, Trafalgar Law?"

"It's nothing personal," Law said, unconcerned by the fact that he had recognized him. "Actually, it has more to do with that clown you serve than with you in particular. I warned him not to target her... that I'd pick off his men and send him their pieces if he tried. And what did he do?"

His expression hardened, along with his voice. There was a deafening crunch, and Reed realized that one of the short, metal bars attached to the table he was on was actually giving under the force of Law's grip. He gulped at the physical evidence of what this man could do to him.

"He's lucky that she can fend for herself," Law went on. "If that hitman had succeeded, I doubt you'd be the only one on my operating table."

"_W—W_ait!" he shouted. "But why me? I'm not—"

"You're one of his personal guards. I've read your file. I know how many people you've offed for him. He's been getting bold precisely because he has men like _you_ around. If you're ready to kill, then you should be ready to die as well." A pause. "I'll give you a moment to prepare yourself."

Reed opened his mouth to protest, but the words were forcefully lodged back into his throat as Law slammed his hand over his lips. Tears welled in his eyes. He groaned in unexpected pain from Law's harsh grip. Law made good on his words, however, because after that single disorienting moment, Reed felt something hot pour over his stomach. This wasn't a tepid trickle of warmth that gradually grew hotter as time wore on, no, this was an unbearable flood of heat that all too suddenly bled into his veins. It was a torrent that gushed over his torso, burning his body and sweeping away his sanity like giant tidal waves over an unsuspecting child.

Law let his face go, and Reed wailed almost instantly. High enough to split his own ears with the sound.

He tried to get away. Every reflex he had ever honed told him that he needed to get out of there _now. _His movements were jerky and graceless, fueled by the same kind of life-threatening desperation he'd felt so many times before. Only this time, there was no escape. The manacles around his wrists and ankles clanked with each involuntary rise of his chest.

Somehow, Reed managed to focus his gaze enough to see Law steadily pouring that black liquid he'd seen before over his core. Law's movements were precise and methodical, as if this was just another procedure that he regularly performed... then again, it probably was. Reed heard the sizzle of his flesh, before he felt it. Every heartbeat throbbed from head to toe. He'd always thought of himself as strong. To survive in his line of work, he _needed _to be more resilient than most. But in the face of this man, his fortitude vanished completely. His courage splintered into nothing, until all that was left was fear and the aching desire to leave this place.

Once the bowl was finally empty, Law exchanged it for an icy iron plate that he pressed into his stomach. Reed wasn't prepared for the flood of intense pain that followed. The shift in temperature coursed all throughout him. Law pushed the plate down so harshly that he felt his ribs cave in submission. His entire body convulsed. The icy touch of metal over burnt flesh was like a monster whispering winter in his ear. A sentient being that dug around his insides, threaded in his limbs, and pierced its way between the soft, pink tissue of his organs. It flanked every layer of muscle, trying to tear him apart at the seams.

And then he was screaming.

Again, Reed tried to move away from the explosive pain Law caused. To no avail. His binds wouldn't give no matter how much he struggled, and with Law pressing so harshly above him, moving sideways wasn't an option. Reed groaned when Law suddenly lifted the steel plate. The absence of pain was so abrupt that it confused him. But then it returned, tenfold, when Law placed it higher on his body.

"Stop! _W—W_hat do you want?" Reed somehow managed to screech out. His body burned from that dreadful mixture of ice and fire. So much so that he couldn't adequately comprehend the pain. A part of it actually felt numb at this point, which couldn't be good.

The head of the Heart family lifted the plate again when Reed's frantic eyes met his cold, gray ones. Law stopped everything for a moment to stare deep into them. Listless, as if he was some uninvited spectator in all of this. Then the moment passed, and before he knew it, Law smirked.

The sight of it was enough to send Reed into hysterics.

"Has the pain given you amnesia?" Law asked, amused. His voice was silky. It was far too serene for what he was doing to him. "I'm going to box you up and send you to your employer _after _I've had my fun. Sending intact body parts is overdone, wouldn't you agree?"

Reed opened his mouth to speak, but the words bent in his throat. Before he could even think about mastering himself enough to form a proper sentence, Law was already dropping the ice-cold plate back over his blistered chest.

His eyes widened.

"_W—W_ait!" Reed suddenly yelled in a voice that didn't belong to him. It was creaky, half-choked from the terror that clogged his throat. "Wa_i_—_n_o. Stop! Please!"

Reed watched, dazed, as Law abruptly turned away. He didn't look surprised to see the blood that lined his fingers. Law flicked his hands, then stretched each digit out, all the while scowling in disgust at the webs of red. His gray eyes lingered on the thicker lines. They looked like mucous. That was something Reed hadn't seen in a while.

At this point, Reed was no longer disturbed or enamored by the sight of blood—not even his own. He'd seen all aspects of it. He knew how it looked after days in a damp cell or freshly spilled over polished silver and ashen flesh. Contrary to the belief of many weary, angst-filled youths just getting into this awful business, it didn't always look the same. It wasn't always _just _red. Law's hands currently sported proof of that.

"I'll give you anything you want," Reed choked out in between heavy, painful breaths.

"All I asked for was the undisturbed peace of a single woman," Law said, while grabbing a fresh iron plate from a freezer by his feet. This one had frost along the edges. "But your boss couldn't even give me that. You can't offer me anything else, Mr. Reed, but the satisfaction of this moment."

Their eyes met.

"I hope you had a good final day."

Law dropped the plate back over his chest, then with his free hands, he reached blindly towards a steel cart beside him for a pair of iron forceps that shone white-red from heat.

In the distance, birds flapped their wings to get away from the sound of screaming.

* * *

_A/N: This chapter is a repurposed one from my Baccano collection. I wanted to see how well the same scene would work with Law, and it turned out surprisingly good. Reworking this scene for this fic gave me the same vibe that I got from Law when he first appeared in One Piece._

_Please review._


	4. Green

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

* * *

_**Setting: **__Aboard the Thousand Sunny. Robin and Law have an established relationship._

* * *

If that green-haired crewmate of hers didn't step a respectable distance away from her within the next thirty seconds, Law was going to use his room to scatter his insides. Alliance be damned. His fingers twitched where they rested over Kikoku's sheathe. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose in an attempt to master himself.

_Why am I even getting upset over this? _he reasoned. _I'm not a child._

They had a platonic relationship. Robin had assured him of that—along with the very helpful fact that she was single—long before they got together. Zoro was the Strawhat crew's first mate. It was only natural that they'd grow close, especially with a crew as small as theirs. They protected each other against countless enemies. Robin probably wouldn't be able to recount them all if she tried. Together, they went through hundreds, if not thousands of dangerous and just plain ridiculous situations.

_Of course they do… facing the world as it comes is a natural part of being on the same crew._

But it still infuriated him how they got to make new memories with each other every single day. No matter how banal they might've been, experiences like that accumulated. It created an unyielding bond between them whether they liked it or not. Law doubted he could ever stand between them, simply because he knew exactly what type of relationship they had; it wasn't just platonic. He could say that with certainty because he had the same exact relationship with the members of his crew. It was a connection built on trust and hardened by blood.

Zoro and Robin got to live their lives together on the Thousand Sunny. Law sailed out his own path aboard his submarine, where he faced the world with his own crew. He thought he understood that; thought that he could live with it. But there was always that lingering thought in the back of his mind: _what would it be like_ _to experience this unforgiving sea with her?_

He wanted to know.

Ocean's spirits, he wanted to know.

But he was too proud to join another crew. Neither did he want to give up his dream—and the dreams of his mates—for the sake of a woman. It didn't matter how beautiful or how utterly smitten he was with her; it wasn't an option. Law doubted Robin would approve anyway. He could already imagine the troubled look she'd send him if he so much as suggested it. But that didn't change the fact that it drove him up the wall to know that Zoro could see and speak to her so _easily_. Law had to hoard every moment he spent with her. He had to safeguard them like a dragon over a pile of gold. While they were able to speak and see each other with the help of transponder snails, it wasn't the same as actually being beside her. It would never be.

Law continued watching them from the corner of his eye. He paid particular attention to the way Zoro shot her a disgruntled look that she wasn't at all deterred by. Law respected Zoro. He had no problem admitting that—to himself and to anyone that asked. As a fellow swordsman, it was impossible not to. But respect didn't equate to like… not really. Law _appreciated _how Zoro went out of his way to include him in gatherings and how Zoro would drag him out to drink when he wasn't with his crew. But Law would sooner bite his own tongue before admitting that.

Zoro was kind, if not a little dense. Anyone with half a brain could see that.

When it came to Robin, however, Law tended to get a little crazy.

Zoro was a lot younger than her, but age didn't really matter when the green-headed swordsman looked like _that. _And although they met long after she became a full-fledged archeologist—and even long after she'd fully matured as a woman—Zoro still knew sides of her that he didn't. He got to see them every single day after all.

_That's the real problem, isn't it? _

It wasn't that they got to see each other whenever they pleased or even that they got to experience sailing the world together. It was that, in part because of those things, Zoro naturally knew all of the different sides of her that Law didn't. He understood things about her that would take Law months, perhaps even years, to fully comprehend. He could very easily point out each and every change within her in a way that Law would never be able to.

It was as simple and, at the same time, infuriatingly complex as that.

_This can't be healthy, _Law thought, while lowering his cap to rid himself of the sight of them. Robin's bright eyes at the moment really weren't helping him collect the splintered threads of his damaged heart. Her eyes seemed to twinkle more the longer she spoke with him. Even the smile on her face widened. It was a wonder that her cheeks weren't aching.

After seeing that, who wouldn't be je_a_—_c_oncerned?

_I only see her in person, what, four times a year? Maybe less?_

They always made new memories to replace all of the ones that ached whenever they were able to meet, but even those new ones hurt after a while.

"What are you doing back there?" Zoro suddenly asked. Law looked up just in time to lock eyes with the swordsman. "You need something?"

"I do," Law drawled. "Your absence."

"Hah?"

"I need to speak with her. You're in the way."

Zoro fully faced him then. His hand hovered over the hilt of his favored blade. "Are you looking for a fight?"

"Are you deaf?"

"I'll cut you."

"You can try." Law's grip tightened over his nodachi.

They both turned when Robin suddenly laughed. She leaned back against the ship's railing like none of this concerned her. "Don't break the ship," was all she said.

"Don't encourage them!" Nami shouted from above. They all looked up to see her sticking her head out of the crow's nest, where Zoro usually holed himself up in.

"What are you being noisy for?" Zoro yelled back. "We're not going to break anythi—"

"Shut it! You _always _say that. Since you have so much free time, come up here instead. I need you to move these weights. I can't believe you took up all of the space!"

Zoro clicked his tongue, shot Law another glare, and then begrudgingly made his way up the mast.

"This isn't over," he said, while climbing.

"Clearly. I'm not delusional," Law said back, though he doubted the swordsman heard.

Behind him, Robin laughed again. He heard footsteps coming closer and before he knew it, a pair of long arms were wrapped around his torso. While not as tall as him, Robin was still able to comfortably press her lips against his ear. A feat, considering most women barely reached his collar. She kissed his earlobe twice, making the dual rings clank together, before leaning against his back. Her chest pressed against him, and he had to fight the urge to groan.

_I suppose I should count myself lucky that only Zoro-ya was with her, _Law thought, while subtly flaring his Kenbunshoku Haki to see where that love-struck cook was. _Thankfully, far away. But what about… _Law could just make out Luffy sitting atop the Thousand Sunny's lion head. He had to admit, he liked the color of it. It was almost as garishly yellow as his submarine. _He's preoccupied, too. Good._

Robin hummed in amusement, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Somehow, he didn't doubt it. She was just as observant as him. Perhaps even more, considering the way she liked to eavesdrop on people.

Law inhaled her lingering scent. Despite being behind him, her flowery fragrance seemed to envelope all that she touched. Was she trying to seduce him? Smelling so sweet…

"What are you doing?" Law asked, while using his free hand to caress her arm.

"Comforting you," Robin said.

"Do I look like I need comfort?"

"You looked troubled earlier." She smiled mischievously. "And I thought you'd walk away from me again if I tried talking to you."

She had him there. But that didn't mean he wanted to be seen hugging her in broad daylight either. Sure, he might've been a little _troubled _about Zoro being so close to her, but only because, as far as he was concerned, that was his place. Zoro had over three hundred days out of the year to be with her. When Law was around, he wanted that scant amount of time reserved for him—and him alone.

If that was incredibly selfish of him, then so be it.

"Thank you," Robin suddenly said, dragging him away from his thoughts.

"For what?"

"Always coming here, coming to see me. I know how… maddening it is for you."

Law stepped out of her arms, so he could face her. "You should come to the submarine next time."

"You'll need to take that up with my Captain."

"I'm not going to steal you." _Maybe._

Robin smiled. "I doubt even Luffy will believe that."

* * *

_A/N: Please review._


	5. Soak

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

* * *

Robin traced the outlines of his forearm tattoo, where it was propped up on the edge of the bath tub.

She'd been in the water for all of five minutes, before he decided that she was taking too long and joined her. But who could blame him? Both of their crews had been trudging through a muddy forest for the last _nine _hours in search of some ivory wildflower with rare medicinal properties that some random townsfolk assured Luffy existed. They managed to find it, or rather, stumble upon it after following a herd of raging bulls to the hideout of some purple-headed bastard with an ugly laugh that hoarded the flowers because he liked their color. But not soon after beating him did they learn that the old codger that had told Luffy about the flower actually had a sick granddaughter with an incurable disease. And _of course_ the flower that they fought for just so happened to be the cure.

_Pirates doing good things makes me want to vomit, _he thought, making a face that Robin would surely laugh at him for had she been facing him. All Law wanted to do now was wash the grime off of his skin and soak in something that wasn't laden with dirt and insects. Truthfully, Law preferred showers over baths. Because rather than feeling revitalized, Law always left the bath feeling weaker, courtesy of his Devil Fruit. He knew it was the same for her, yet…

"I like baths," he recalled her saying a few weeks ago. "They take away all the stresses of the day and leave me feeling at my best again."

_You look attractive in any situation_, Law had thought, though he didn't bother saying that. Robin likely knew it anyway. If baths made her feel good about herself, then there was no reason to deny them to her.

Law, on the other hand, liked them for a different reason entirely.

Frankly, he was more interested in her than the bath. But right now, she was scooted a ways in front of him. Robin sat in between his legs, while brushing conditioner in her hair with a comb that she'd brought from her ship. Law had never before thought that his private bath was too big, but in that moment, he did. She really needed to come closer. It wasn't that he wanted a better view—he'd gotten an eyeful the moment he settled in behind her—it just seemed like a waste to be in there together if she wasn't in his arms.

_Though I suppose this isn't bad either, _Law thought, transfixed by her back. Her skin had already adopted a slight pink hue, obviously unused to the temperature that he preferred. Robin had very slight scars littered all over her body. They were hardly noticeable, but with how closely he was scrutinizing her, every single one appeared clear before him.

Robin didn't try to hide them from him. In fact, she never hid anything about her body away from his eager gaze. He'd never met a woman so comfortable in her own skin before. Law didn't know if that was because time had made her more content with who she was or because she just had amazing self-esteem, but either way, Law appreciated it.

Still, everyone had something they weren't confident about. Law wasn't particularly fond of his lankiness, especially when he was compared to other, broader swordsmen.

_What's her weak point? _he wondered.

Law leaned forward to wrap his arms around her waist. He pressed his lips to the back of her right shoulder, where she had a particularly large claw mark. It was slightly shinier than her natural skin. Law had treated enough wounds to know that time had made whatever had nicked her here less apparent. He kissed a similar one on her scapula, then drew her closer so that she was leaning against his chest. Robin didn't resist. She only turned her head to shoot him a delighted smile, before abandoning her brush to run her fingers through his wild hair. Her hands were still unnaturally smooth from the conditioner, and he relished how easily her digits slipped in between his coarse strands.

"Baths are fun, no?" she asked, even though she already knew what his answer would be.

Law only closed his eyes and hummed in tacit agreement.

"I was a little concerned when I first stepped inside, but I like yours."

Law opened his eyes at that. He doubted she was going to say anything related to hygiene. Law was a doctor. He liked things organized and sterile. Almost everyone knew that minutes after meeting him. So, that only left something about the space or something personally about her. If it was a personal insecurity, then Law really wanted to know if she had the ability to read his mind. Robin always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. Perhaps they were too alike for their own good. Law wasn't entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing, but he settled on the former for now.

"Concerned?" he asked after a moment, not wanting to appear too keen to know what a woman like her could possibly be troubled about.

"It's big." Her eyes crinkled in genuine appreciation. "Personal baths on ships are usually too small for me. But I can stretch my legs out comfortably here."

Law blinked blankly back. He was taller than her—as were so many other pirates—so he never really paid attention to her height. But now that he thought about it, she really did tower over most women. That she liked to saunter around in heels didn't help with that.

"Well, I'm taller than you," he said, trying to indirectly assuage her concerns. "So, of course the bath would be big."

"But I thought you didn't like them."

"That doesn't mean I never take them."

Robin hummed in response. She had this knowing look in her eyes that made his chest bubble with heat. Lethal, that look. It was probably the most dangerous one yet. Robin pressed a soft, surprise kiss against his lips. By the time he gathered his wits enough to return it, she was already pulling away. His arms tightened in response, locking her in place before she could even think about moving any further. When she felt that, she wrapped her own arms loosely around his neck.

Her chest felt huge when pressed against his own. Law felt himself hardening from the sensation. His shoulders stiffened when Robin leaned forward. Her lips hovered tantalizingly over his.

"Let's do this again," she said.

It wasn't a suggestion, and they both knew it. That was an order. Nothing less.

… But Law couldn't bring himself to say no.


	6. Affection

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

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Law hauled her up, then inched backwards until they both fell onto the bed in a mess of breathless pants and intertwined limbs. Robin sighed into his mouth. He pulled her closer in response. Law swallowed every noise she made, memorized every drag of her fingers across his skin. He stored up the moments like a man turning for one last glimpse at the sea.

When she pulled away to breathe, he chased her, appalled by his own desire. He could bear it, he thought, if the world diminished to only this. Because Law knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he'd be perfectly content to live the rest of his life in the spaces between these soft, measured breaths.

Every overwhelming outcry of emotion, he drank in with open ears and tender eyes. His lips didn't languidly trace, they eagerly explored every curve of her body. Law pressed his fingers to the spots where she was most sensitive, hoping to make her say his name in that breathy voice of hers. Once she did, he couldn't help the swell of emotion that filled his chest.

"Law…"

It was at that exact moment, between waiting for her to say his name again and impatiently leaning down to kiss her, that he felt it. A thin chain being forged between them. Shining, twisted links of metaphysical iron and gold that bound him to her in something deeper than either of them knew. Law pulled away just long enough to take in her half-lidded gaze and red cheeks. His own face burned brilliantly at the sight. He felt the heat spread all the way to his ears, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. This was no time to be embarrassed by the openly affectionate look in her eyes.

Robin was an enigma; a lively, yet mysterious woman that held his attention in ways that no other before her had. Law basked in the sheer brightness of her presence. It encompassed him, ridding him of the darkest, ugliest doubts about their relationship that he carried in the back of his mind. One look from her made the scarred thing in his ribs that others like to call a heart stutter like a baby bird learning how to fly.

_Is it the same for her? _Law wondered, although he didn't bother placing his hand on her chest to find out. There were times when he considered using his powers to take her beating organ away. As assurance, if nothing else. So, he could say that it belonged to him… even when he knew it didn't. Her heart was reserved for the wild, open sea and for those on her crew. Deep down, Law knew that only a tiny, insignificant fraction was actually his to claim. He'd always been possessive, but it was strange how even the thought of a small piece of her being wholly captivated by him managed to content him.

_That can't be good, _he thought.

Suddenly, Robin's thumb was on the space between his brows. She smoothed out the wrinkle that had formed there while he was thinking, before taking his hand in her own and squeezing his tattooed digits lovingly enough to tether him back to the moment.

"Focus on me," she said.

"Don't order me around," he shot back. All force. It was done more out of instinct than annoyance. There was no way he could be angry with her now.

Robin laughed and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand, right over the tattoo there.

Law watched her do so through half-lidded eyes. There was something charming about the way she did that. Like she loved even that rough, calloused part of him. Whether together or apart, Law always felt like he needed more of her, and right then, he knew exactly why. Robin was so utterly endearing when she wanted to be. He didn't think she knew this, but her eyes lit up each time she caught a glimpse of him. His presence had never given someone such an intense amount of joy that their entire form emanated happiness, but it did with her.

Law met her eyes. They were so blue and so bright; a startling contrast to his own. He was lost the second he looked at her.

_This isn't enough, _he thought, not entirely unafraid for what their future held, _it won't ever be._

* * *

_A/N: Please review._


	7. Distance

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

* * *

Ocean's froth, he missed her.

Hearing Robin's voice, but not being able to actually hold her in his arms was nothing short of torture. Law stared at the transponder snail modelled after her in his room. Its purple body bore the mark of the Strawhat Pirates, and its snow white shell was outfitted with the bell-brimmed hat that she wore back when they were in Dressrosa. The snail was asleep now, but he knew that it would wake up sometime within the next hour for food.

Law, ever prepared, had already placed a bowl before it. Transponder snails could be a pain if they weren't being fed properly, and the last thing he wanted was for this one to run out on him while he was off on some adventure. It had already been acting up due to the extremely cold temperatures of the last two islands they'd visited. If it whined any more, Law didn't doubt that it would jump right out of his submarine in retaliation.

A part of him hated how sensitive they were. It wasn't like he went out of his way to foster an awful working environment for it; the New World's weather was just appalling. A snowstorm had been following them for the last month. That it kept up with them for so long was so coincidental that Law seriously considered the thought of former Marine Admiral Aokiji tracking them. Before he could go out and look for evidence, however, the storm dissipated.

_Where did they put it?_ Law thought, while searching for the crate that he ordered Bepo to leave in his room. He found it a moment later. It was plain, save for the words, _ALIVE: HANDLE WITH CARE, _stamped across the top in red. There were tiny air holes all over that he didn't bother peeking through. Law simply popped open the lid and grabbed the fat, white snail inside without a second thought. He placed it right beside a new baby transponder snail that he'd just gotten, then hooked all three of the ones on his desk together.

It took a moment for him to get it just right, but once he did the snails made a unified _ka-cha _sound that satisfied him to the core. There was something oddly gratifying about fixing simple things like this.

Law quickly dialed Robin's personal number into the baby snail, before falling back into his seat. He leaned back with his feet propped up on the table.

It was approaching midnight, but hopefully she'd pick up.

_Purupurupurupuru…_

_Purupurupurupuru…_

His anticipation grew the longer the phone rang.

_Purupurupurupuru…_

_Ka-cha._

The baby snail opened its eyes, mimicking Robin's expression perfectly. A moment later, the snail projected her face in the open air above him.

"Law!" Robin said, delighted. She was in a dim room inside of the ship. There was a cracked door behind her that illuminated the outlines of what looked to be a library. He heard the telltale signs of a banquet coming from the other side of the door. Law even caught a glimpse of Luffy doing some elaborate bouncing trick with his rubber body. "It's been a while."

"We've been sailing with a blizzard recently," he explained. "The snails have been acting up."

"Ours have, too, but only because of the deathly heat. When did you get a visual transponder snail?"

"I've had it for months. It was getting a spare white snail that was tricky. The last thing I want is for the Navy to intercept these calls."

"Why? Are you afraid they might see something that would damage your reputation?" she asked with that playful grin of hers. "Perhaps you don't want them to know that the infamous Surgeon of Death actually goes out of his way to schedule house calls?"

"If you call what we do house calls, then I wouldn't mind arranging more." Law smirked. "But it's better to keep our relationship out of the papers. I don't need that kind of scrutiny. I get enough of it from my crew."

"I'm sure they have more important things to write about."

"I doubt it. I visited a news station hub once. A big one in Water Seven, and they all looked bored out of their minds. They were all just _waiting_ for the latest gossip from a big name to drop."

"What kind of juicy gossip do you think they'll hear from our calls?"

"Who knows?" Law shrugged. "Do you have anything juicy to show me?"

Robin did a graceful twirl for him, and he noticed how differently she was dressed tonight. Was she entertaining the others? There were way too many voices for it to just be the Strawhats out there. With how much her hyperactive captain liked to party, he didn't doubt that they likely invited the entire island they were docked on. But while Luffy could command the attention of thousands of men, he couldn't quite hold it the same way as a woman.

"Were you dancing?" Law asked, amused and envious all at once.

"For a bit. I haven't worn this outfit in so long." She reached into her shirt and pulled out a photo. His eyes widened at how young she looked. The words, _Dock Island_, were scribbled along the bottom. "I had to get a bigger size."

"How old are you there?"

Robin only smiled. "I'll give it to you next time we see each other. Maybe I'll even let you read our log about that adventure."

"This was while you were with the Strawhats?" he asked, doubtful. "Did their antics age you?"

Law's chest heated with unexpected affection when Robin's grin widened, and then suddenly, she was laughing.

Her distant mirth seemed to attract the attention of her captain because not a moment later, he heard the boy shout, "Robin! _ROBIN_! Why are you back there? Come out and party!"

"I need to go," she said, entirely too bittersweet for his liking. "Unless you want to speak to Luffy?"

"I don't need a headache."

Her knowing smirk affected him in ways that she would never know. "Then I'll call you in the morning."

Luffy came barreling inside to get her before he could answer.

* * *

_A/N: Please review._


	8. Chat

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

* * *

**Setting**: Law and Robin are talking in bed together. Their relationship is still shiny and new.

* * *

"You read comics?" Robin asked, genuinely surprised.

"Most North Blue kids did. I was a Dyed-in-the-wool fan." Law shrugged. "I was a child once, too."

"Somehow, I always imagined you as the dissecting frogs and beetles type."

"Those two things aren't mutually exclusive. I was both."

"Did you collect figures, too?"

"I wasn't that big of a fan. I read them in the paper."

Robin laughed. "Did you used to cut them out and save them?"

_There's no way I'm answering that_, Law thought. He closed the book he was reading, already knowing that he wouldn't be able to focus with her beside him. She'd just finished her own—an eight-hundred page monster of a tome that left her eyes red each time she picked it up—so he supposed that she wanted to talk tonight instead of starting something new.

"And you?" he asked, avoiding the question. She didn't call him out for it.

"What about me?"

"What did you read?"

"Ohara was home to the Tree of Knowledge. I read a lot of history from all over the world."

"I'm surprised they'd let a kid inside such an important building."

"They didn't." Robin pressed a finger to her lips, as if those archeologists were still alive to punish her for breaking the rules. "I used my powers to _borrow_ books, while the others worked. I never took them out of the building though."

Law wasn't surprised by that. Between the two of them, he wondered who was the more studious. It would probably be a tie.

Her powers were so useful. If he had them, then the first thing he'd do was challenge himself by operating on several animals at once. Maybe he'd ask her to help him do just that one of these days? Then again, he doubted she'd approve, so maybe not. Robin could be icy when she wanted to be. While being on the receiving end of that stare may have been exciting in certain situations, he'd rather not have to deal with it for an extended period of time.

Law abruptly seized her wrist and brought her hand to rest over his cheek.

Robin scooted closer to him in response. She ran her fingers through his wild hair.

"It's getting long," she said. "You should let me cut it."

Law raised an eyebrow. "You cut hair, too?"

"I help style everyone's hair on the ship."

He seriously considered whether there were things that Robin didn't know how to do. It seemed unlikely. "Why?"

"Someone needs to. Usopp helps, too. Although I like to do it when possible. You'd be surprised how obedient Luffy is when he sits down for a haircut." A blush appeared on her cheeks at the memory. "He bobs his head ever so slightly to the side and starts humming Binks' Sake. Then, whenever I tell him to move he does it so carefully."

The excitement in her voice couldn't be faked.

"… Are you his mother?" Law remarked.

"He would be an adorable child." She looked pointedly at him. "So would you."

Law shot her a fierce glare, before leaning down so that his face was level with hers. To her credit, she didn't back down… not that he expected her to. Female pirates were tough, or perhaps it was more accurate to say that they had to be.

"Don't baby me."

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_A/N: Sorry for the short chapters. I'm practicing concision. __Please review._


	9. Caught

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

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_** Setting: **__Modern AU. Random bar._

_**Please Note: **__This was quickly typed on my phone. I focused more on dialogue._

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Today was the first time that Penguin and Shachi had ever found their old friend, Law, drinking alone. So, like the good buddies they were, they decided to intrude and join him. They couldn't leave him hanging after all! They both knew how rough his hours as a doctor were, and if he actually made time to drink, instead of doing what he usually did—sleep, or worse, _read _medical journals like a godforsaken robot_—_then they were damn well going to make sure that he wasn't just brooding in a corner all by himself.

At least… that's what they had planned.

"She's stunning," Penguin said.

Then, as if everyone in the bar had heard him, they all turned the woman's way. Everyone, except Law. Shachi didn't blame them for staring. Every inch of her was attractive. From the mature lines of her face framed by her silky dark hair, to her long legs that led up to an even more delightful surprise above her naval. Shachi would've judged anyone—man or woman—for not taking a peek.

"I'm going to talk to her," Penguin suddenly announced.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Shachi said.

"Who asked you?"

"C'mon, man. Do you really think you have a chance?"

"It can't hurt to try!"

"It might. Look at her!" Shachi blatantly pointed. "There's no way a woman like that is single, and doesn't she look like she's looking for someo—"

"Stop pointing, you ashy sprite!"

Shachi actually paused. "Seriously? Was that supposed to be an insult?"

Penguin's cheeks heated in embarrassment. "What do you think it was?"

"I don't know. Some kind of word salad?"

"What the hell is a word salad?"

"It's—"

"Ahhhh! Nevermind, just shut up!" Penguin shouted. "She's coming this way!"

"What?!" Shachi yelled. He was about to turn his head to make sure, but Penguin wrapped his arm around him to keep him looking straight at Law, who looked at both of them in amusement. Law was as relaxed as ever. Shachi doubted he was even interested in the woman; not when he could have his pick of gorgeous models and rich businesswomen that would probably spread their legs if he so much as breathed in their direction. The smug bastard.

"Play it cool, would you?" Penguin whispered.

"She probably heard us yelling, you dumbass."

"Stop being so pessimistic, damnit! We can still save this!"

"You're delusional!"

Shachi was about to throw Penguin's arm right off when he caught sight of heels stopped before their table. He blinked twice, before following long legs up. His eyes trailed over the woman's slender body, until he was looking at her face that had seemed like a distant star just moments before.

"… Hello," Shachi said awkwardly. Beside him, Penguin stuttered out a similar greeting.

"Hello," she said back. Her lips tilted upward in amusement, before she turned away from them.

Her eyes settled expectantly on Law, who sat with his arms stretched out on the top of the booth's seats. "Should I not have come?" she asked, laughing. "I thought you said you were alone."

"I was," Law said, easily welcoming her as she slipped into the seat beside him. She was almost as tall as he was, but Law was broad where it counted. It made him look bigger overall. "No, I still am. Ignore these two."

"Well, _ouch._" Penguin rubbed his chest. "How were we supposed to know that you were waiting for someone? You didn't even say anything!"

"Exactly." Shachi nodded along, though he moved his cap even further down than usual to hide the blush on his cheeks from the woman smiling across from him.

"Nico Robin," she abruptly introduced. There was no outstretched hand for them to take or slight nod of acknowledgement that they could return. Instead, all she did was lean forward with a grin that reminded them so much of Law that they both froze in sudden dread. "It's a pleasure to meet you…"

A long moment of silence ensued.

"Penguin and Shachi," Law said when he realized that they were quickly comprehending exactly how alike he and Robin were. Not that he cared, but leaving her sentence hanging wasn't an option. "They're old friends from college."

Law looked pointedly at them, and they jumped.

"_R—R_ight," Shachi hastily said.

"So, are you two…?" Penguin trailed off. He looked between them in silent emphasis.

"For now," Robin said with an ambiguous grin.

They choked.

"What do you mean for n—"

Shachi was cut off by Law's sudden chuckle. The sound of it was low and pleased beyond reason. One glance at his face told him that Law was thrilled by her response. It kind of reminded him of their freshman year of college when Law was given the chance to dissect sheep brains. He had laughed like that back then, too. Although now it sounded a bit more enchanted. Which, if he was being entirely honest with himself, wasn't really a good sign.

"For a while," Law corrected.

The barrage of questions that followed was expected, but not unwelcome.


	10. Yours

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece._

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_**Setting**__: They're in some random cottage together on an unstated island._

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Law shrugged on his cloak. He lifted his arm to let Robin closer. She conceded with his silent request by sitting beside him. As soon as she settled, he shifted so he was lying stretched over their cot with his head on her thigh.

The moments after that passed in sluggish comfort. It was drawn out breath by breath. Robin hummed, while Law observed the dancing shadows of the room with disinterest. The delicate light of the hearth only extended so far. It masked most of their surroundings in smudges of dark shadow. But even if he could see, it wasn't as if there was anything interesting enough to keep his overactive mind occupied. This cabin was decidedly duller than anything he'd ever been in before. It was even duller than the small cottage in Dressrosa that they stayed in when they were injured. For all of that island's faults, it at least kept him on his toes.

Robin busied herself by twisting circles in his hair. Law's eyes drooped from the sensation. He crushed the heel of his hand against them to dispel any trace of drowsiness he felt, but it was a useless attempt. Nothing more than a wave tearing against a cliff. He needed something stronger.

Law's gaze drew up to meet her own because he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she'd hold his attention better than what surrounded them. Which wasn't saying much, considering the emptiness, but it was the thought that counted—and what a thought it was.

After so long, Law was still astounded by how easily she could narrow his focus to a single point: the twitch of her lips, the brush of her hand, the wry quirk of her eyebrow whenever she was amused and hesitant to show it. This time, it was the subtle heat on her cheeks that caught him. It was, arguably, the most appealing stain on white that he'd ever seen. The blush promptly spread all the way to her ears when she realized that he was looking at her.

She didn't hide from him. On the contrary, she angled her head down to get a better look. Robin smiled in that secretive way of hers. It never failed to trap him in place. He felt small under her scrutiny, but he couldn't bring himself to turn away. He was enraptured. Utterly smitten with the way her eyes thinned with her grin, like she was in the presence of stars that shined too brightly. That bruised spot in Law's chest expanded. It tightened over his ribs like a band of pure steel.

His heart skipped forward—_hard._

Like she wanted to feel it for herself, her hand splayed over his chest, right where the bleeding thing beat, as if begging to be released from its cage. Law covered it with his own, then brought her fingertips to his mouth. His kiss was searing. Made more so by the fact that his gaze never wavered from her own. Law tightened his grip around her fingers. He squeezed them to an almost unbearable degree. As if pressure alone might keep her by his side, might tether her to him, so he could engrave this exact moment to memory. He wanted to preserve everything he felt now until the day he died; wanted clear glass dropped over it to keep it safe from the world and its horrors.

But there was no glass for him to cover their time together with. The world carried on. It didn't matter how much he willed it to stop or how much he needed to breathe. He could internally beg all he pleased, but it would still be for naught. Everything had an end. Law _knew _that. He knew it like the tattoos that littered his body. So, he gathered all that he had in his hands right now, all that was within his reach, and dragged it towards him with an urgency that bordered on desperation.

No minute was wasted. No second considered scant enough to lose. Every glancing thought he'd ever had, he turned into reality.

Law didn't think when he sat up to catch her mouth with his own. He pushed her beneath him, and they fell with a noiseless thump onto the cot below. Law untangled the strange web of fledgling and deep-seated emotions in his gut. Every knot that he straightened released a flood of unbearable warmth. He kept those, too. For the future when he'd need to look back on his life to find the will to fight against the frigidness of reality. He'd need it in order to achieve his dream.

Law paused to look at her, one arm braced over her head.

Below him, Robin's eyes shone with kindness and a genuine sincerity that made his chest ache. He shut his eyes in physical pain. It was as if he had a fist clenched around his heart. He couldn't fathom how others lived like this. But when he felt Robin's hands cover his cheeks and her thumbs coax him back into the moment with her, a wash of realization poured over him like a kettle full of boiling water.

"I love you," she whispered. Nothing more than a murmur lost in a fever-dream.

Law tried to respond. He really did. But the words kept bending in his throat. What came out were uneven lines of fraught words. Helpless. Hopeless. Stunted responses that didn't even begin to match the swollen emotion that welled inside of him.

_This isn't like me, _he thought, snapping his mouth shut. Law breathed in a futile attempt to gather his wits. Ever so slowly, he grabbed her hand and placed it back over his chest.

Law trapped her there. He wanted her to feel that boundless drone, and how she made it quicken with a mere look.

"It's yours," he said by way of an answer, "If you'll have it."

Robin shivered from the sheer amount of tenderness in his voice, but then she smiled that damnable smile at him again, and he was too far gone to appreciate the effect he had on her. That final thread that separated him from her disappeared to form something new, something strong and without name. A link of intense gold that was resilient enough to be tugged and twisted over itself without breaking. Words didn't matter now. A conversation of this magnitude would always feel as if it lacked substance anyway.

Together, they spent the night learning how to speak without them.

Every breathless gasp, each press of hips and slide of skin against skin, affirmed their passion, which, after being bottled for so long, was finally given a ground to blossom.

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_A/N: If you're interested in my writing beyond fanfiction, then I have a fantasy series for sale. URL on my profile. Thank you for reading. As always, please review._


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